About

The Anti-Eugenics Project, founded by Dr. Jack Tchen (Rutgers University) and Benedict Ipgrave (University College London), is an interdisciplinary network of scholars, organizers, cultural workers and artists working to understand and bring awareness to the continuing legacies and harm of eugenicist ideologies. The Anti-Eugenics Project seeks to excavate and examine the lasting effects of eugenics and in doing so, begin to dismantle the politics and systems of exclusion— the founding eugenicist ideology that some humans are “fit” and and others are “unfit”— that continue to plague in our society in the forms of racism, classism, misogyny, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia and other forms of social tyranny.

Guiding Principles

We seek to create an intersectional space that fosters learning and listening, in order to un-learn and un-know the deeply violent vestiges of eugenicist practices and ideologies- a space to build strategies that will transform and dismantle eugenic legacies – by gathering an interdisciplinary network of artists, cultural workers, organizers, and scholars working on the frontlines of social justice and anti-eugencist thought.

We strive to center those most impacted by eugenics – including people with disabilities, those who are ill, immigrants, individuals of all genders and sexual orientations, as well as Indigenous People and People of Color – by creating intergenerational, and cross disciplinary spaces that value diversity of thought and experience.

We value all stories and strive to create a space that is not extractive or exploitative, but rather leverages lived experiences with oppressive, eugenicist practices as a learning mechanism to dismantle these violent ideologies and collectively envision a future free from these harms.In the planning and implementation of this convening we will hold stories with care and respect, and seek not to re-traumatize or further injure. We will also provide a Care and Safety Response Team to provide responsive solutions and strategies for anyone experiencing disrespect or harm in the space.

We aspire to center disability justice by creating a space in which all bodies are valued, and treated with dignity and respect. We will do this by creating a space that acknowledges power and privilege, centers collective care, and upholds self-determination, and bodily autonomy. In addition It is our intention to provide accessible virtual programming, to the best of our capacity, by providing the following: closed captioning (in English and Spanish), live interpretation in American sign language and in Spanish, and image and video descriptions wherever possible.

We do this work with the collective, anti-eugenicist understanding that no human is or should ever be considered expendable or “less than.”

Convening Team